Thursday, 5 June 2014

Urban Decay Electric Eyeshadow Palette Review

If there's one thing I love as much as a pretty, printed dress, it's bold colourful eye make up, and I recently got my hands on the ultimate colourful eyeshadow palette. I'm of course talking about Urban Decay's Electric Pressed Pigment palette, and I'm here to review it for you today. If you're a colour junkie like me, I'm confident you're going to love this palette as much as I do!

I treated myself to it about a month ago, after spotting it in Debenhams from a hundred paces and immediately falling in love with it. My eyes practically popped out of their sockets when I saw the incredible colours, and I may have squealed just a little bit. I told myself I couldn't afford to spend £38 on a make up set, but nobody could've prised the box from my hands, and in the end I just couldn't leave without it. I'm so glad I didn't!

The Urban Decay Electric palette is a set of ten of the boldest, brightest, and most colourful eyeshadows I have ever laid eyes on in in my eighteen years as a make up wearer. This palette is quite simply a colour addict's dream! The shadows are a mixture of highly pigmented matte, satin, and shimmer shades, and every shade features Urban Decay's Pigment Infusion System, which is a special blend of ingredients that gives each shade a velvety texture, rich colour, serious staying power and blendability. Eight of the eyeshadows are exclusive shades that aren't available anywhere else, and Electric also sees a return of two popular shades- Chaos, a matte cobalt blue, and Revolt, a metallic silver.

The swatched photos haven't been altered at all, and were taking without a flash in good daylight, near a window.

Colour:

As you can see, all of the colours, with the exception of Revolt, are so beautifully bold, vibrant and pigmented. They're all absolutely gorgeous and really stand out on my very fair skin, which is what I like my eyeshadows to do. You certainly won't blend in to the crowd wearing these eyeshadows, so they're not for the faint-hearted or colour-shy, but I guarantee they will add some personality to your look and make your eyes pop.

I'm a little obsessed with all ten shades, and at the moment my favourites are Slowburn (a fiery orange-red), Freak (a stunning bright green), and Gonzo (a vibrant turquoise). However, as beautiful as they are, I do think three blue shadows is a bit repetitive and it would have been nice to see a different colour in place of one; perhaps a deeper shade of green, a red, or a sunshine orange. That's the only thing I would change about the colour selection, but I still thing all three shades of blue are stunning.

Application:

I've had so much fun testing the shadows out and trying out new looks, using the double-ended eyeshadow / blending brush that comes with the set. It takes just one or two swipes of the brush to achieve an even, opaque layer of eyeshadow; and as they're so highly pigmented, I find a little goes a long way.

Quality:

The make up feels soft and velvety, and there's none of the chalkiness you sometimes find with colourful make up. The formula is wonderfully thick; you can really feel the quality of the eyeshadows on the skin. I've been impressed by the quality of Urban Decay eyeshadows for years, and in my opinion, these are some of the best quality eyeshadows I've ever worn.

Durability:

I found them to be long-lasting, although there was some fading after a few hours with some of the colours so a quick touch-up was needed. I haven't tried them with a primer underneath yet, though, which may extend the longevity and help to keep them in place.

Removal:

I've used both cleansing wipes and make up remover to remove the make up (to compare results), and found that the shadows lifted easily with both. A couple of the colours did leave some staining to the skin, although the stains haven't been too vibrant and faded away within twenty-four hours. I would advise wearing a primer underneath, and perhaps avoiding these eyeshadows a day or two before an important event- especially if you're going fresh-faced.

The Eyeshadow Brush:

The brush that is included in the set is a full-sized, double-ended eyeshadow and blending brush, and the quality of it is fantastic. The handle is made of heavy, sturdy black plastic and tapers down towards each brush, which makes it comfortable to hold and easy to work with to precision. The bristles are silky soft, dense, and well attached; there's no danger of those bristles shedding the way cheap brushes do. They apply and blend the make up perfectly, and give fantastic results. I've never used such a high-quality brush in all my years of wearing make up! I'm so impressed with it, I want to start investing in more Urban Decay brushes! It's true what they say; the right tools do make a difference to the end result!

The Mirror:

On the inside of the palette is a rare sight; a large mirror! A mirror I can clearly see most of my face in! It's large enough to show both eyes clearly at the same time (helpful for checking your look is symmetrical!), and it's size is so useful for using away from the dressing table and on the go. You'll have no problem doing your eye make up on public transport with this palette! (We've all done it at some point!) Why can't all make up palettes feature a mirror like this one?

Packaging:

The palette itself is sleek and fashionable, made from sturdy black plastic with a neon bright floral design to the front. It's solid and sturdy, and about half an inch thick when closed. It's heavy enough that I don't have to worry about it getting knocked around a bit, but light enough to carry around in my handbag without rupturing another disc. The design is also easy to wipe clean without ruining the palette or make up.

Outer Packaging:

The outer packaging is made from black cardboard, and features the same eye-catching, neon bright Urban Decay Electric design to the front. The back gives you a preview of the eyeshadows and brush, along with a little information about the set, and of course, the ingredients are included on the side.

Price and Value For Money:

The palette retails for around £38, which I think it's very reasonable for a fantastic set like this. It may sound expensive, but the set includes ten eyeshadows, which work out as £3.80 each- and that's if you don't include the make up brush! Urban Decay eyeshadows are usually £14 each, and a single-ended UD eyeshadow brush is around £14.50, so this set is in fact a bargain! I personally think it's worth every penny!

I'm extremely impressed with the Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment Palette, and it is without a doubt one of the best eyeshadow palettes I've ever owned. The colours are stunning, the colour-pay off is incredible, it gives fantastic long-lasting results, and the quality of the make up is far superior to most of a similar price tag. It gets 5/5 from me for each factor (and overall)! I can't find a fault with it! I'm a little bit obsessed with this beautiful set and I'm so glad I invested in it. It's the best purchase I've made in ages!

I can't recommend this palette enough, and if you're a fan of colourful make up, I just know you will adore it as much as I do.

The set should be available from all good department stores and pharmacies with high-end beauty departments. It's not available on Urban Decay's UK site, but it can be purchased on the American website here. I purchased mine from Debenhams, and it's available on their website here.

Have you got your hands on the Urban Decay Electric palette yet? Are you planning to purchase it soon?